Uscis when can i apply for citizenship

However, no one can apply for naturalized U. You have to wait some years, and be ready to meet other requirements. This article will discuss when you actually can apply. The basic rule is that you cannot submit your Form N to apply for U. That means exactly five years, to the day. For example, if you were approved for permanent residence on August 17, , you would be eligible for citizenship on August 17, Check your green card permanent resident card for the exact date on which you became a permanent resident.

If you start out as a conditional rather than a permanent resident most likely because you got your residence either through recent marriage to a U. You might be able to apply before that approval comes through, however, as described in Conditional Resident Awaiting I Approval? Consider Filing N for Naturalization. Any one of several exceptions could, however, reduce the amount of time you must wait.

Keep reading for a rundown on these exceptions—or at least the ones that apply to civilians. If you are a member of, or relative of someone who has been with the U. Armed Forces, see U. Despite the five years of permanent residence requirement, you are actually allowed to submit your naturalization application to USCIS within the days before your five-year anniversary has arrived. The reason has to do with timing. In fact, even under normal scheduling, USCIS will in all likelihood take at least 90 days to call you in for your interview, which is why it has officially said that you are safe applying within that time period.

Be sure not to apply any earlier than 90 days before you're eligible, however, or USCIS will return your application. See its Early Filing Calculator for help with the exact date. You need to wait a mere three years to apply for U. See the Immigration and Nationality Act at I. Section a or 8 U. Section a. You will need to provide proof that you qualify along with your application.

This exception applies even if you did not get your green card through this marriage. So, for example, you could have gotten a green card through your employer, then married a U.

You will, however, need to stay married to your U. The exception won't work if you separate or divorce legally prior to being sworn in as a citizen, or even if you choose to stop living with your spouse. Unfortunately, you will also lose the exception if your spouse dies before your naturalization interview.

Congress didn't want immigrants to have to stay in an abusive marriage for three years just to obtain the benefit of the three-year exception when they applied for U. So it created an exception for people who got their green cards through marriage to a U. These immigrants can apply for U. Children can also use this exception, although they must still reach age 18 before submitting their application for citizenship. If you got your green card based on having come to the United States as a refugee, part of your time as a refugee can be counted as if you were a permanent resident known as "rollback".

If you were granted refugee status while you were in another country, use the date you entered the United States as the beginning of your permanent residence. No matter how many years you lived in the United States as a refugee before eventually becoming a permanent resident, those years will count as if you had been a permanent resident the whole time for purposes of calculating when you can apply for naturalized citizenship.

See U. Code of Federal Regulations at 8 C. Check your green card for the date that USCIS recorded your admission as a lawful permanent resident.

If you were the principal applicant, USCIS will records your date of admission as either your earliest arrival date to the U. If you are the family member of a principal applicant, USCIS will record your date of admission as either your earliest arrival date to the U. If you got your green card based on having received asylum in the United States, one year of your time as an asylee counts as if you were a permanent resident known as "rollback".

Note, however, that if you waited longer than one year after receiving asylum to apply for your green card, that extra time will not be counted toward your permanent residency period. You will have to wait a full four years from the actual date when you're approved for a green card. And, somewhat confusingly, you will need to wait a full five years from the date your green card says you became a permanent resident.

That's because USCIS will automatically backdate your permanent residence approval date on your green card by one year, in recognition of your rollback rights. See the U. Code of Federal Regulations 8 C. Start your application today! The current average processing time for Form N is a little over 12 months as of June Our detailed guide to the U. Certain applicants, however, are eligible for a reduction or waiver of the fees.

Boundless has a detailed guide on the full cost of naturalization. Only individuals who have satisfied the eligibility requirements for naturalization may file an N Our guide to naturalization lists all of the basic eligibility requirements for U.

Not sure if you qualify for U. You can check your eligibility with RapidVisa. Yes, you may file your N online unless you are applying from abroad or are applying for a fee reduction or waiver , in which case you must use the paper Form N and file by mail.

To apply online, you must create an online account with USCIS and sign your application electronically by typing your full name at the end of the application. Where you must send your N application and materials depends on whether you file online or by mail. Postal Service vs. Your citizenship interview will focus largely on the answers you provided on your naturalization application. Boundless has a detailed guide on naturalization eligibility requirements.

USCIS provides a calculator to help you determine your day early filing date. If the date on your Permanent Resident Card is January 1, , then you become eligible for naturalization on January 1, Filing early just gives you a head start on the process. Together we can help you stay on top of your naturalization forms , complete your citizenship application and guide you all the way to the finish line. All naturalization applicants must include supporting documents with their Form N If you file your application online , you will need to upload digital copies scans or photos of these documents to your online USCIS account.

Required documents for all applicants include:. Some applicants must submit additional supporting documents with their N, based on their particular circumstances, including:. Head over here for a full list of the required documents. Filing your application package is only the first step of the naturalization process. It could be several months or more until you obtain U. Do use black ink only. If you decide to complete your application by hand, make sure to use the correct color of ink to prevent any delays.

Do review your Form N before filing. Any missing information or document could delay processing. Worse, it could lead to a denial of your application — based on a new USCIS policy that raises the stakes of completing immigration applications accurately the first time — which means you would need to go through the process again and pay the filing fee a second time.

Do provide translations. If any of your supporting documents was produced in a language other than English, you will need to obtain a certified English translation of that document with your N application. Do not highlight, cross out, or type or write beyond the space provided for your answer. USCIS prefers this instead of using correcting fluid or tape to correct an error.

The Form N instructions will clearly indicate which documents are required to be submitted as photocopies versus originals. If your signature is missing from your application when USCIS receives it, they will most likely reject that is, refuse to accept your application and ask you to send a new one.

A recent USCIS policy change, however, makes it imperative to follow all USCIS instructions carefully, as a single mistake or missing document could lead to a denial of your application.

What should I put down on my application as my physical and mailing addresses? The location of your appointment will be determined by your ZIP code.